Telegram Setup¶

Connect your Vandelay agent to Telegram so you can chat from your phone.

Step 1: Create a Bot¶

1. Open Telegram and message @BotFather
2. Send /newbot
3. Choose a name and username for your bot
4. Copy the bot token BotFather gives you

Step 2: Configure Vandelay¶

vandelay config  # → Channels → Telegram → Enable

Or add to ~/.vandelay/.env:

TELEGRAM_TOKEN=your-bot-token-here
TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID=your-chat-id    # optional but recommended

And in config.json:

{
  "channels": {
    "telegram_enabled": true,
    "telegram_chat_id": "123456789"
  }
}

Step 3: Get Your Chat ID¶

To lock the bot to your chat only (recommended for security):

1. Start a conversation with your bot and send any message
2. Open this URL in your browser (replace with your token):

   https://api.telegram.org/bot<YOUR_TOKEN>/getUpdates
   

3. Find your chat ID in the response:

   {"message": {"chat": {"id": 123456789, ...}}}
   

4. Add it to ~/.vandelay/.env:

   TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID=123456789
   

Step 4: Start the Server¶

vandelay start

The Telegram webhook is automatically registered when the server starts.

Features¶

• Persistent typing: The bot shows "typing..." while processing (re-sent every 4s)
• File sending: The agent can send files via Telegram using send_file()
• Chat lock: Set telegram_chat_id to restrict access to your chat only
• Shared memory: Conversations in Telegram share memory with Terminal and other channels

Troubleshooting¶

• Bot not responding: Check that telegram_enabled is true and the token is correct
• Webhook errors: Ensure your server is publicly accessible (use a reverse proxy or tunnel)
• "Chat not allowed": Verify your telegram_chat_id matches the chat you're messaging from